This time next week Paul McGinley will face one of the biggest challenges of his Ryder Cup captaincy and that’s having to say ‘No’ to some of Europe’s top players, and possibly Scot Stephen Gallacher.
Gallacher’s currently lying 11th on the European Team points table and knows his only chance of making his Ryder Cup debut is to win Sunday’s concluding Czech Masters or capture this week’s final qualifying event, the Italian Open in Turin.
The Scot posted a third round 71 in Prague to slip to a share of sixth place and now four shots behind Welshman Bradley Dredge and with his countryman Jamie Donaldson, who is 8th on the team table, letting slip a three shot lead after one hole to also shoot a 71 to end two behind Dredge.
Paul McGinley soon to face the toughest decision so far of his European Team captaincy – Having to say ‘No’ to a number of leading Europeans in that they will not be afforded a Gleneagles ‘wildcard’ pick.
McGinley’s pool of ‘wildcard’ talent also includes Luke Donald and Ian Poulter, a respective 10th and 12th on the points table, who will now rely on a pick after missing the cut in this week’s Barclays Championship in New Jersey and the final counting event for the PGA Tour based Euros.
And with just three picks McGinley’s staring at maybe denying either Miguel Angel Jimenez (13th), Francesco Molinari (14th) Joost Luiten (15th) and eight-time Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood (16th).
Justin Rose, who’s assured of a third Ryder Cup cap, is glad he’s not in McGinley’s shoes.
“The US team is struggling form wise and the picks Tom (Watson) has to choose from are not so obvious whereas it’s the opposite for Paul (McGinley) as he’s got about half-a-dozen players in his wildcard mix,” said the 2013 US Open winner.
“But then there is going to be some of those players left disappointed as Paul is going to have to leave someone out.”
